British Science Week 2020-Celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths
British Science Week provides a platform to promote and support the development and involvement of STEM(STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, maths) events and activities by students, STEM practitioners, science communicators, and the general public. It is a ten-day event run by the British Science Association for people of all ages in the UK. It will take place between 6-15th March 2020.
‘Our diverse planet’ is the theme for the British Science Week 2020 Activity Packages and Poster Competition. The industries of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) are much more complex and diverse than it looks. There are people who work in laboratories, colleges, research centers, companies, and building sites, who come from so many different backgrounds and have followed many different routes into their careers.
This year British Science Week will celebrate diversity in STEM sectors and also a campaign is launched as “Smashing Stereotypes” in collaboration with technology-based company 3M. The aim of the campaign is to inspire STEM workers and researchers to share their stories of how they operate on a daily basis – to highlight STEM workplace diversity, the wide range of available jobs and careers, and that scientists are just like us.
Konnie Huq is announced as an Ambassador for this year’s British Science Week, she is a British television presenter and writer and also Blue Peter’s longest-served female host presented it from 1 December 1997 until 23 January 2008. During the Week, Konnie will support various events including the Smashing Stereotypes initiative and the Youth Industrial Strategy Competition Finals.
British Science Week will also invite the public to help scientists tackle deforestation and habitat loss, Citizen science project will allow members of the public to tag videos of endangered and helpless spider monkeys captured using drone-mounted thermal-infrared cameras in Central America. The tags will help train an AI algorithm capable of finding and monitoring spider monkeys on their own, helping researchers save hours of time and addressing the danger of habitat loss.
Spotting Spider Monkeys are led by astrophysics Dr. Claire Burke. He applies drone and remote sensing technologies to astrophysics, climate and atmospheric science, computer science, and engineering approaches to solve major global problems such as poaching. With the population of black spider monkeys reported to have dropped by 30 percent in the last 45 years, largely due to habitat loss and poaching, this is crucial research.
For more information on British Science Week, visit britishscienceweek.org
Swikriti Dandotia